AIADMK Seeks Disqualification of Three More MLAs in Tamil Nadu

The chief of the ruling AIADMK has requested the speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly to disqualify three more Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the ruling party. The party head has alleged that the three MLAs have aligned with the splinter group of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). The move comes at the wake of the TTV Dhinakaran-led splinter group being registered as a political party under the name of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) with the Election Commission of India.

The move has been seen as a desperate measure of the ruling AIADMK to protect the government. The present strength of the AIADMK is 114, including the speaker with by-elections to four constituencies scheduled on May 19, 2019. The other vacant 18 constituencies went for polling on April 18, along with the Lok Sabha polls in the state.

AIADMK Fears Rout in Assembly By-Elections

The pre and post-poll predictions have set the alarms ringing in the AIADMK camp, projecting a massive victory for the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by M K Stalin. In case the AIADMK fails to win at least four out of the 22 constituencies, the party will lose the majority in the 234 member house.

Also Read: Elections 2019: May 23 Will Determine the Fate of AIADMK Rule in Tamil Nadu

The demand for disqualification has been submitted to the speaker of the house and going by precedence, all three MLAs are set to face the axe, effectively bringing down the strength of the house to 231, considering that the by-elections to four constituencies take place as per the schedule.

Rebel MLAs Deny Leaving AIADMK

The three rebel MLAs have claimed that they have not officially resigned from the primary membership of the AIADMK. But they were appointed to different posts in the AMMK before the party was officially registered with the election commission. The AMMK, too, has claimed that the signatures of the three rebels were not attached in the application submitted to the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, Thamimun Ansari of Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, who contested in the last Assembly elections on the AIADMK’s two leaves symbol, campaigned for the DMK alliance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. But the action against him has been put on hold for reasons known only to the AIADMK leadership.

Two other MLAs who contested on AIADMK ticket but belong to other small parties have been switching loyalties between DMK, AIADMK and AMMK. This means the AIADMK has to win more seats in the by-elections than the required number to obtain majority, which seems a hard task given the present political situation in the state.

The AMMK’s spokesperson earlier said that the MLAs will face elections instead of looking for legal relief in case of disqualification. The 18 disqualified MLAs approached the Madras High Court against the speaker’s verdict of disqualifying them, but the verdict was upheld by the Court.

Also Read: Elections 2019: AIADMK-led Front Set to Lose in Tamil Nadu

With the AIADMK struggling to keep its flock together, the disqualifications and by-elections are set to change the political scenario in the state. The absence of a strong leader in the AIADMK has led to mismanagement both in the government as well as the party. A defeat in the by-elections will fragment the AIADMK further.

DMK seems to be enjoying the conflict within AIADMK, and its leader M K Stalin has demanded not to disqualify the three MLAs with the hope of sweeping the by-polls and returning to power.